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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24521395">Broken Hearts and Ever Afters</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra'>Arytra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Power Rangers Dino Thunder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Romance, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:34:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24521395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Trent tries to help Conner after he gets dumped.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Trent Fernandez-Mercer/Conner McKnight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Broken Hearts and Ever Afters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Moved from Livejournal</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You can't stay in there forever!" Trent yelled at the door, banging on it to the other's attention. There wasn't a sound on the other side of it. "Conner!"</p>
<p>"No," the other answered simply.</p>
<p>"We sort of need you if something goes wrong," Trent said, trying to appeal to the other's good nature. Conner was the Red Ranger, he would head out of the room and do his job.</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"Conner," Trent tried. He really didn't like Kira or Ethan right now not because they had done anything to him, but because they weren't there right then when he needed them to take care of Conner. He barely knew Conner, let alone had anything in common and Conner liked them more. "Please?"</p>
<p>"She hates me. I tried and I planted stuff and I took an interest. A real interest," Conner answered after a few seconds. He headed back out, not having been crying, but looking a little depressed. "And she left me for some enviromental guy."</p>
<p>"Well, they had something in common," Trent tried but Conner glared at him.</p>
<p>"He didn't even have to try. She just... picked him," Conner muttered. Trent followed him as he headed back outside, though far away enough from from where she was planting. Trent sat down next to him, the soccer ball resting in his lap. Trent took a breath and then sighed again.</p>
<p>"She's not worth it?" Trent tried, wishing he had better experience at this, but he'd lost all of his friends a long time ago. He'd just started making friends with the three Rangers before he went evil. He didn't know exactly what he was doing.</p>
<p>"Can you make that sound any more unsure?" Conner demanded. Trent winced and Conner looked a bit ashamed. "Sorry. You didn't deserve that."</p>
<p>"You gonna be okay?" Trent asked, trying to brush it off without sounding too awkward. Conner looked at the soccer ball.</p>
<p>"Yeah," he answered quietly. He kept looking down. "Thanks for trying."</p>
<p>Trent nodded. "There are better girls out there," he offered, trying again. Conner shrugged. "Much better."</p>
<p>Conner was quiet for a minute. "Thirty seconds ago that wasn't even a statement, you know."</p>
<p>"I'm trying," Trent answered, feeling a little frustrated. Conner could take it into consideration at least. "I'm not good at this, okay?"</p>
<p>Conner nodded. "Yeah, I know."</p>
<p>They were silent after that.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>A few days later, Conner found Trent alone in the cafe, supposedly working for Hayley though he had his drawing pad out so he was probably more than likely on break. He threw himself down next to Trent without waiting for the other to invite him. The White Ranger looked back up at him as Conner grinned at him. "How's it going, Trent?"</p>
<p>"I could ask you the same thing," Trent mentioned and Conner shrugged.</p>
<p>"I'll live," he answered. He paused for a minute before looking at Trent seriously. "Thanks. For helping. You're okay."</p>
<p>Trent looked back up at him with hope. "Really?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," Conner answered. "I appreciate it. I'll try not to be a dick anymore. Whatcha drawing?"</p>
<p>Trent looked at him suspiciously, but when Conner seemed genuinely interested, he lifted up the pad to show the picture. It was of Conner with his arms around someone unfinished. Conner looked at it and then back at Trent. "I, uh, don't know how to finish it."</p>
<p>Conner glanced at it for a minute and then answered. "You could make it a Ranger," he suggested. "If you're trying to think of someone."</p>
<p>"Kira?" Trent asked and Conner shook his head.</p>
<p>"No thanks," he snorted. "I've given up on women for a while."</p>
<p>"You're bisexual?" Trent asked with disbelief and Conner grinned.</p>
<p>"Could be," he answered. When Trent gave him a look, he turned serious. "Yes, I am."</p>
<p>"Ethan then?" Trent answered and Conner made a face.</p>
<p>"No way! He's like my brother or something," Conner answered. "Dude! That's not right!"</p>
<p>Trent's eyes widened and he made a slight face. "Doctor O?"</p>
<p>Conner looked just as disgusted. "That's sick, man."</p>
<p>"So who else... is... oh," Trent answered and looked up at Conner who shrugged.</p>
<p>"If you want," he answered nonchalantly. He started to walk off when Trent stood up and stopped Conner. "But I appreciate you chasing after so, if you want to give it a shot, we can try."</p>
<p>"I want," he answered quietly. He wouldn't have bothered to chase Conner down if he hadn't. He would have called one of the others. "Smoothie?"</p>
<p>"Only if you're buying," Conner answered with a grin. When Trent gave him a look, Conner grinned harder. "What? I'm not a cheap date!"</p>
<p>Trent only smiled back. Love wasn't about flowers or chocolates or fancy words. It was about being there when they really needed you. They had that part down and maybe, just maybe, they both needed this. Conner wanted Trent and Trent wouldn't turn him away because an artist came along. Maybe this could work and maybe the once upon a broken heart could end in happy ever after.</p>
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